LIGHTNIN ROD & THE THUNDERBOLTS * ANOTHER MOMENT IN TIME *
Lightnin Rod & The Thunderbolts – Another Moment In Time
Memphis Blues Records – 2024
www.lightnin-rod.com
10 tracks; 42 minutes
Lightnin Rod Wilson was born in Michigan and now also plays live in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. He started recording in the 1980’s and has produced fifteen albums to date, though this is the first time that this reviewer has heard his music. Rod wrote all ten songs here, handles lead vocals and guitar, supported by John Pinero or William Lenk on keys, Jesse Barton or Mike Estepp on bass and Keith Green and Kevin Stiles on drums; Tiffany Wilson Hutton adds harmony vocals. The album was recorded at Memphis Blues Studio and is self-produced by Rod.
The album opens with the Latin-tinged “Never Should Have Went To Mexico”, a tale of unfortunate consequences on a road trip across the border. Rod’s vocals are clear and pleasant, well suited to this type of mid-paced tune, and his guitar fills are excellent, making a sound start to the album. Next up is “Hole In My Heart”, a ballad with more solid guitar work, followed by the faster-paced “Ordinary Day” which again has a bit of a border feel. “The Lady Has The Blues” contains the key word for readers of Blues Blast but does not contain much other Blues DNA though it is again a melodic tune with fine harmonies. The title track is a country-flavored tune with wah-wah guitar and warm keyboards underpinning Rod’s vocals.
Little so far to excite the blues purists but “3.30 In The Morning” is definitely a blues with rolling piano and a slightly tougher vocal style from Rod who is having trouble getting to sleep as he reviews all his daily problems, from family to work; some anguished guitar comes into the middle section, including some chicken scratch work. “But The Pain” returns to what seems to be Rod’s preferred style with a mid-paced tune, more good piano and harmonies whilst “Bird In My Window” is something of a departure, an acoustic tune, the uncredited harmonica adding a campfire feel to what is essentially a folk song. The album closes with two more mid-paced tunes, “Pathway To Your Love” a love song with more good guitar and piano work and “Just Ran Out Of Love” which has some good guitar in a slightly more aggressive style.
Overall this is a pleasant listen but does not contain very much actual blues.
Blues Blast Magazine Senior writer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK who enjoys a wide variety of blues and roots music, especially anything in the ‘soul/blues’ category. Favorites include contemporary artists such as Curtis Salgado, Tad Robinson, Albert Castiglia and Doug Deming and classic artists including Bobby Bland, Howling Wolf and the three ‘Kings’. He gets over to the States as often as he can to see live blues.
INFO :
Lightnin Rod & The Thunderbolts
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| Photo : Artist WebSite |
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